These Lines Were Never Established

“She’s done what?!” The room stopped as Hayley flinched holding her head near tears. “No. No, it’s okay. It’s okay. Don’t cry Little bird. Don’t cry.” Jim hushed quickly, hugging her close. His brown eyes found the frail woman trying to take her and glared, hatred like no one had ever seen before.

“What’s wrong?” Travis asked quickly. Rushing to the two he took Hayley and cradled her into his chest.

“She said,” Jim whispered, the anger oozing on each word. Travis frowned. “She said, why she’s been so upset,” Travis leaned in close. “Is because that…that..thing’s hit her before.” His words, though whispered, rang clearly in the silent room as Travis’s rage flared in his eyes. “She also said, it’s why she has the marks? Do you know what that means?”

Travis did know what he meant. Hayley had scars on her back and sides that made no sense to him but Hayley refused to acknowledge that they were there and if she did she changed the subject skillfully away from answering. He’d never figured out why she had such scars. Some were barely visible, others were long, thick, and raised. They were scars, even the small ones, that would be cared with her for the rest of her life. The words of the doctor Hayley had seen in Los Angeles rang out in his head clearly after asking about the snowman incidents: “If she’s gone through a disturbing time in her life, or moments in her life it wouldn’t be unusual”. The doctor had also pointed out a abuse could have caused it, and the fact that Ashley never wanted Hayley around her mother had made sense then, and now more than ever it did too.

“She…Little Bird…” Hayley looked up with teary eyes. “How’d you get the marks?” He asked simply. Shaking her head she hid her face in his chest. “I need to know little bird.” He stated.

“Eyes no wannas say.” She sobbed.

“Okay, okay.” Travis glared at Lyn-Z, she only looked at him for a second before shifting her gaze back to Hayley, ignoring him. “You don’t have to.” Travis opened his mouth to protest and got a hand in his face. “but can you answer me this,” Hayley looked up slowly. “Because of the marks, did you ever have to go to the hospital?” Hayley only nodded. “Then there are records of how it happened.” She snapped at Travis.

Closing his mouth he watched her still irritated. Rubbing Hayley’s back he sucked in deep breaths. Calming her down, he walked her up stairs into her room and plaid her in her bed to nap. Smiling at Andy behind him he watched his friend lay down in bed with the toddler to keep her calm and safe. Travis thanked him softly and nearly flew, literally, flew down the hallway and stairs.

“I never touched her.” The woman snapped.

“Ashley never wanted to near her though. When I’d go to visit with Hayley and she knew you were going to show up she were rushed out of the room like fucking secret Area 51 was trying to hide from the world. Nurses and Doctors helped with the transfer.” He snapped. Anger like he’d never felt before flowed through him and rushed his veins like never before. She only simply glared at him. “Guess were I’m getting statements, witnesses, and that sort from?” he added smugly. “From people who probably witnessed it first hand and loved Hayley and Ashley like family and saw you as the antichrist. Call all the lawyers you want,” He waved a hand at her. “but you won’t get my daughter lady. You have no right. Your daughter didn’t even want you to have her, or even see her once she was dead.” The woman glared. “She snuck out in the middle of the night and drove here to bring me my daughter, so you would never have her, never see her.” He added rudely. “So you can do whatever you want. No matter what you do, you’ll never get her, I’ll bet my life on it.” He snapped bitterly. “For now, you can get out of my house and never come back.” Pointing at the door he watched her. “I already have the police on the notice and ready to remove you if I say the word. Guess what,” he added proudly. “They like Hayley too, and they like here right where she is.” Smiling he waved at her as he turned to his Dad to tell the police he wanted Mrs. Greenee removed. He was grateful his dad had military and police connections and friends that were working in his favor at the moment. “Bye.” He waved at the stunned and outraged woman.

Heading into the kitchen he turned the faucet on a rinsed his face off.

“Does she have marks?” Lyn-z’s voice spooked him. Spinning to her he frowned seeing most of his friends and family in the kitchen now.

He could only weakly nod.

“Since when?” Special asked worried.

“Always. I didn’t…notice at first cause…” Running a hand over his face he groaned. “I was too freaked out that I had to bath a little girl to notice.” He stopped as someone snickered, pervert at him. “That’s what I felt like so I hardly looked. It felt so wrong. Then I go used to being a dad and I didn’t feel like a perv, just a dad…” Swallowing he sighed. “That’s when I noticed them.” Leaning against the counter he raised his eyes to Lyn-z feeling guilty. “Thank you.” He muttered weakly at her.

“For what?” She asked confused.

“Helping me, and keeping me in check without actually smack…” Debbie smacked him hard in the back of the head, angry he kept information like Hayley’s scars to himself. “Without doing that.” He laughed at the irony. Lyn-z simply nodded with a flush to her face.

“Why did you never tell anyone!”

“Because I couldn’t get her to admit where she’d gotten them!” He snapped back at everyone yelling him. “I wasn’t going to bring it up and have everyone freak out if it was her fault she got hurt. She is kinda deranged!” He huffed at them. The room stopped at his logic. Hayley did do weird, stupid things that simply proved she was Travis’s kid by the actions she followed through with and some of her logic only made sense to Travis about why’d she’d done half of it. She was crazy. “See!” he pointed at them in success.

“Is that why she won’t let anyone help her get dressed?” Eric asked concerned.

“I think so.” Travis nodded. “That and she likes to dress herself anyway. Makes her feel ‘big’” he used finger quotes as he remembered Hayley one time telling her if he helped her get dressed then she wasn’t ‘big’ and she was ‘big’ she didn’t need his help!

The room fell silent as everyone looked at the other concerned. Andy stepped into the room and cleared his throat. All eyes fell on him.

“Have you seen some of the marks?” He asked terrified. Travis weakly nodded sadly. “Some…I’m sorry, but some of those scars,” Swallowing Andy ran a hand over his mouth. “A few of those had to have child abuse investigations on them.” The room grew colder. “One…on her side.” Travis only nodded at Andy’s gaze. The man couldn’t even finish.

“What about the one on her side?” Tommy asked frantically.

“It’s so deep and thick there had to have been internal issues to go along with it.” Travis whispered. His hand traced a line from his shoulder blade around down his right side to his hip. “It’s huge. It’s the one I’ve worried about most. It had to have hit something inside her when it happened, if it didn’t it’s a miracle.” He added weakly.

“Oh god.” Debbie breathed with several others.

“Wait, she showed?” Travis’s head snapped up startled. Andy nodded weakly. “How?”

“I asked if I could, and told her if she didn’t want me to see them she didn’t have to show me, but she did.” Andy clicked his tongue. “If you don’t,” He pointed at Travis. “Kill the woman if she actually did cause even a few of those marks. I fucking will.” He growled.

“I plan of doing better.” Travis stated simply. “If she did that to my daughter,” He hissed. “I’ll make sure she sees years in prison before she’s given the damn needle.” Andy simply nodded as the other stared. Travis never said anything violent or mean. It was hard to fathom that he even had until the reason why was placed into the equation.